Valley Board Approves Calendar, Hears IREAD Results
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
AKRON – After much discussion at the March meeting, the Tippecanoe Valley School Board approved the 2013-14 master calendar Monday night. The board also heard results of the IREAD-3 test. The calendar has 182 student days and 185 teacher days. The first teacher day is Aug. 15, and the first student day is Aug. 16. Christmas break is 10 days, and is from Dec. 21 to Jan. 5. There are no emergency make-up days April 18 and May 23, 2014. Emergency make-up days will be Oct. 28, Feb. 17, May 30 and June 2-6. The last student day is May 29, with graduation set for June 8, 2014. The first semester has 86 student days and the second semester has 96. Chrissy Mills, Akron Elementary principal and Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. testing coordinator, provided a report on Valley’s success on the IREAD-3. The purpose of the statewide test is to measure foundational reading standards through third grade. Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, a third-grader must pass IREAD-3 on their first or second try in order to move on to fourth grade. Last year was the first year for the test that was developed in accordance with Public Law 109. At Akron Elementary, 54 of 67 students, or 81 percent, passed without exemptions this year. Mentone saw 64 of 74 (86 percent) pass without exemptions. Overall, 84 percent of third-graders in the corporation passed without exemptions. There are three exemptions for students taking the IREAD-3: a student who has been previously retained twice; a student with disabilities whose case conference committee has determined promotion to grade 4 is appropriate; and an English language learner whose Individual Learning Plan committee has determined promotion is appropriate. Including the percentage of students passing with exemptions, 64 of 67 (96 percent) passed at Akron; 68 of 74 (92 percent) passed at Mentone Elementary; and 94 percent passed overall in the corporation. A total of 12 students at Valley had perfect scores of 650. Four were from Akron and eight from Mentone. Passing requires a score of at least 446. Board member Mark Wise asked if state numbers were available. Mills said Valley won’t have those until students have the second opportunity to take the test in June. Compared to last year, Mills said the number of students not passing was exactly the same this year as last at Akron, and Mentone had six not pass this year compared to four last year. “We’re starting to see a trend,” she said, though it takes at least three years to really see it. She also said some scores were really close and those students should pass the test the second time around. Angie Miller, Mentone principal, said the state got the results out this year really quick. Mills said the testing was all online this year, compared to pen and paper last year. The board also approved a $10,000 grant from the Medtronic Foundation to the high school to help train teachers in Project Based Learning strategies, and to help teachers develop projects for the 2013-14 school year. Tippecanoe Valley High School will host Region 8 training for Project Based Learning strategies June 5-6. Teachers will also work on projects for next school year throughout the summer with experts in the field. This grant will help fund stipends for the experts and teachers as they work throughout the summer. In other business, the school board: • Announced the TVHS Building Trades open house will be May 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. The open house will feature the home built for Gary and Tammy Shepherd, 12826 S. CR 750W, Akron. The public is invited to the open house. • Approved Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services grants. • Approved reading and handwriting textbook adoption. • Approved the resignation of Benjamin Kawsky, biology teacher, TVHS. • Approved the 2013 school bus order, 2013 summer driver education proposal and summer school. • Heard a report on the one-to-one initative at TVHS. • Reviewed revisions of policies relating to the school board. • Reviewed and approved faculty and staff Internet safety and acceptable use policy. • Announced upcoming board meetings will be May 13, Mentone Elementary; June 10, administration office; July 8, administration office. All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. • Recognized Akron Elementary groups and individuals. A free video of the recognitions are on the Times-Union website at www.timesuniononline.com
